This application claims the priority of German Patent Document DE 101 07 287.2, filed Feb. 16, 2001.
The invention concerns a bumper system for a vehicle comprising a bumper support and a trim component, wherein the bumper support has an attachment means for at least one impact horn projecting past an outer surface of the trim component and the trim component has at least one opening for the impact horn.
A bumper system for a vehicle of this kind is known from German Patent Document DE 28 38 572. It has a bumper support to which are attached impact horns, in particular by screwing. The bumper support, which is made of a high-strength and rigid material, is covered by a trim component, which is a component of the chassis outer layer. The trim component has two openings spaced a certain distance from one another, through which the impact horns pass and in this way project past the chassis outer layer.
In German Patent Document 42 01 839, and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,056, a bumper system with a bumper support is described wherein the impact horns are molded onto the bumper support by material forming and in this way are produced as one piece therewith. This bumper system includes in addition a trim component that covers the bumper and the impact horns.
An aspect of the invention is to create a bumper system of the type mentioned above, wherein for different design variants the stocking of parts and the production costs can nevertheless be reduced.
This aspect is attained with a bumper system which includes a bumper support and a trim component, wherein the bumper support has an attachment means for at least one impact horn projecting past an outer surface of the trim component and the trim component has at least one opening for the impact horn, and wherein a covering component can be inserted into the opening. Other features that configure the invention are disclosed in certain preferred embodiments.
The main advantages obtained with certain preferred embodiments of the invention are seen in particular in that only one trim component according to one design variant has to be provided for vehicles, whether they are to be equipped with or without impact horns. If a vehicle is equipped with impact horns, thenxe2x80x94in a further development of the inventionxe2x80x94a covering component must be inserted in the opening, which has an impact horn trim contour that is adapted to the impact horn. If a vehicle is produced without impact horns, a covering component, which is configured approximately flush with the shape of the outer surface of the trim component, can be inserted in the trim component. This creates a closed chassis outer layer having a uniform appearance in the area of the trim component. The at least one opening in the trim component, which is preferably made of plastic, can be recessed even during its production in the injection molding process. It can, however, also be introduced later into the trim component via a known punching, milling, or cutting process. In this way, depending on the needed number of bumper variants, trim components can already be available with or without an opening. In this way it is possible for the most varied requirements, be it for the purpose of complying with laws specific to a particular country or because of logistical, functional, and/or optical requirements, to have ready the appropriate bumper system from the already supplied components, trim component and covering component, with or without impact horn trim contour.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.